U.S. President Donald Trump, in an interview with Fox News during a visit to Beijing, said he "would feel more comfortable if the U.S. obtained enriched uranium from Iran." He explained that this was more for "propaganda purposes." Trump also threatened new strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, stressing that his patience with Tehran is running out and urging the Iranian side to make a deal with Washington.
In 2025 the U.S. carried out large-scale strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites, which, Trump said, were "completely destroyed." The president justified the military campaign by alleging Iran was close to developing an atomic bomb, but these claims have not been confirmed by inspections from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Experts believe some enriched uranium may be buried deep underground, and without intelligence its retrieval would be extremely difficult.
On the domestic front, Democrats in Congress failed to pass a resolution limiting Trump's authority for further military action against Iran without lawmakers' approval. In the House of Representatives, the vote on the war powers resolution ended in a tie, and due to the lack of a majority the measure was not adopted. Three Republicans supported the resolution, but one Democrat voted against it.
This was the third attempt by the House this year to pass such a resolution and the first since the 60-day period that granted Trump congressional authority to continue the war expired on May 1. Earlier, seven similar votes in the Senate had failed, with the results becoming increasingly polarized because of the slim Republican majorities in both chambers. Party divisions are preventing a final decision.
Democrats insist the Constitution grants Congress the exclusive right to declare war and are demanding that Trump obtain authorization to continue hostilities, warning of the risk of a protracted conflict without a clear strategy. They also criticize the war's economic consequences — rising gasoline and food prices — appealing to their voters ahead of the November midterms. Republicans and the White House, in turn, argue that Trump's actions are lawful and fall within his powers as commander-in-chief to carry out limited operations against an imminent threat.
Comments on the news
Which specific Iranian nuclear facilities (for example, Natanz or Fordow) were attacked by the U.S. and what is their role in Iran's nuclear program? — At present there are no confirmed reports that the U.S. struck Iranian nuclear facilities such as Natanz or Fordow. However, in a hypothetical scenario these sites are key: Natanz is the main uranium-enrichment center using centrifuges (including underground halls to protect against airstrikes), and Fordow is a fortified underground facility also used for enrichment. Their role — according to Iran, for peaceful purposes — is the production of enriched uranium, but they have the potential to produce weapon-grade material (uranium enriched above 90%).
Why has the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) not confirmed claims that Iran was close to producing nuclear weapons, and what were the results of its inspections? — The IAEA does not confirm such claims because its inspections have not found incontrovertible evidence that Iran extracted or enriched uranium to weapons-grade levels (over 90%) or that secret work on assembling a nuclear device is underway. Recent agency reports (for example, for 2023–2024) note that Iran expanded enrichment to 60% (which is close to weapons-grade but does not reach it), but there is no confirmed evidence of the creation of a nuclear explosive device. IAEA inspections have faced limited access to some sites (for instance, after the revocation of inspectors' credentials in 2023), which hampers full verification.
Why is extracting enriched uranium from underground storage in Iran considered extremely difficult without detailed intelligence? — Underground storage facilities (at Fordow and Natanz) are built up to 80 meters beneath rock, making them resistant to airstrikes. Retrieving enriched uranium (in the form of hexafluoride or metal) requires precise knowledge of container locations, access routes, and security systems. Without detailed intelligence — satellite imagery, human sources, or cyber intelligence — such operations are highly risky, as uranium may have been destroyed or dispersed to conceal it. Additionally, underground sites are often connected by complex tunnels, complicating targeted localization.
Full version: ترمب: الحصول على اليورانيوم من إيران هو لأغراض دعائية